View Full Version : Heat treating in the back garden
I'm half way though making a couple of knives. Today I was doing the heat treating. I'm following instructions (somewhere on the forum) for cleaning bones to make into handles too.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/Johnnyvariety/100_0116.jpg
This is an old gas bottle cu in half with a foot pump attached
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/Johnnyvariety/100_0120.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/Johnnyvariety/100_0119.jpg
I got a lot of encouragement reading others stories of having a go and making their own tools and knives, so I hope this encourages someone whos thinking of having a go.
hi john looks great i like the idea of using bones for the handles would love to hear more about that when you get on a bit wouldnt mind trying that myself just havnt had time to make another knife at the momment look forward to seeing how you get on
Nice work mate!
Just out of curiosity, how did you cut out the blades?
And whered you get the bones? i've been thinking of a bone handle too, was thinking of just asking at a butchers...
The flaat stock was cut out with a mixture of hacksawsing and filing and drilling.
I got the bones from a butcher down the road. I let them know I wanted longish thick bones for carving/crafts and they were quite happy to put them by (£3)
that looks like a very useful setup. Did it take long to cut the gas bottle in half and did you sneed anything HD like oxy acetalyne etc.
The bone look like beef shins. I used to turn them on a wood lathe to make lace bobbins. I prepared them by boiling them for a few hours. Are you preparing them in any way
Nick
Ogri the trog
10-09-2006, 22:21
Good looking set-up John.
Couple of quickies if you don't mind....
Are you burning just charcoal, and is your pump one that pumps on both strokes?
I really must get my finger out and set about one of my spare gas bottles. I got a bag of Blacksmith's Slack a while ago so I'll be trying that as soon as the forge is up and running, but I've no idea how hot it will actually get.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Sorry for not replying :o
It's just charcoal, The pump is an old foot pump that is a single cycle one. I'd like to make a better blower..
The bottle was cut in half with an angle grinder after making sure it was empty. It took about 30 mins and 2 discs. The edge was cleaned up with a file